Sheryl Cormier

Successfully mixing career and family responsibilities is no easy task. But according to Cajun-zydeco accordionists Queen Ida and Sheryl Cormier, the rewards reaped from living one's dream and sharing it with loved ones make any sacrifices worth the effort. In fact, both women's careers truly are family affairs. Ida Guillory's son, Myrick, plays accordion in the Bon Temps Zydeco Band, which plays tonight at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Successfully mixing career and family responsibilities is no easy task. But according to Cajun-zydeco accordionists Queen Ida and Sheryl Cormier, the rewards reaped from living one's dream and sharing it with loved ones make any sacrifices worth the effort. In fact, both women's careers truly are family affairs. Ida Guillory's son, Myrick, plays accordion in the Bon Temps Zydeco Band, which plays tonight at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Remember the sultry intro to Ike and Tina Turner's version of "Proud Mary," where Tina snarls: "We never, ever do nothin' nice and easy."? The Southern California Cajun & Zydeco Festival turns 10 this weekend in Long Beach, and its founder and still-head-cheerleader, Franklin Zawacki, just may be the Tina Turner of concert promoters. Noticing that audiences around the country are getting more and more enthusiastic about the pumped-up rhythms of zydeco, what did Zawacki do for this year's fest?

Making her first Southern California concert appearances in five years, Gloria Estefan will be at the Forum on Aug. 8 and at the Pond of Anaheim on Aug. 13. Tickets for both go on sale Monday. . . . Sting's three Greek Theatre concerts--Aug. 20, 21 and 23--go on sale today. . . . Also on sale today is No Doubt at the Hollywood Palladium on May 15. . . . Two Scorpions/Alice Cooper bills go on sale today: June 19 at the Universal Amphitheatre and June 22 at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. . . .

June 1, 1995 | RANDY LEWIS, Randy Lewis is assistant editor of the Calendar section for The Times Orange County Edition

The annual Southern California Cajun & Zydeco Festival this weekend in Long Beach takes a giant step into new territory with the addition of blues pianist and singer Marcia Ball. It's the first time since the festival began in 1986 that its producers have strayed from Cajun and zydeco performers.

June 3, 1993 | RANDY LEWIS, Randy Lewis is an assistant editor of the Calendar section of The Times Orange County Edition.

The seventh annual Southern California Cajun & Zydeco Festival will again bring a mix of established and lesser-known Louisiana musicians to Rainbow Lagoon in Long Beach on Saturday and Sunday. Topping the lineup will be C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, John Delafose & the Eunice Playboys and Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, all of whom are making return appearances. Festival first-timers include Sheryl Cormier and the Iguanas.

Two major summer festivals showcasing American traditional music will give Southland audiences one-stop access to performances by dozens of folk, country, Cajun and zydeco performers. Trouble is, those fans will be forced to choose: The Troubadours of Folk festival at UCLA and the 7th Annual Cajun & Zydeco Festival in Long Beach are booked on the same weekend in June. "I'm not happy about that," said Ted Myers, A&R coordinator for Rhino Records, one of the sponsors of the June 5-6 folk festival.

To mark its 10th anniversary in Southern California, the annual Cajun-Zydeco Festival will offer a greatest-hits-like package of top acts in both fields, highlighted by return appearances by C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie and the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band. The festival will take place June 1 and 2, once again at the Rainbow Lagoon downtown.

The 7th Annual Southern California Cajun & Zydeco Festival will again bring a mix of established and lesser-known Louisiana musicians to Rainbow Lagoon the weekend of June 5-6. Topping the lineup will be C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, John Delafose & the Eunice Playboys and Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, all of whom are making return appearances. Festival first-timers include Sheryl Cormier and the Iguanas.